The Northwestern Jazz Band will have their last concert of the academic year on April 22, at 7:30 p.m. This concert will feature music performed at the Jazz Soiree.
“The NW mission statement / core value is to pursue Christ and His redeeming work in the world,” states Jazz Band director Dr. Angela Holt. “We see His redeeming work in jazz music and how God uses His creation to draw us closer to Him through the musical gifts He has given to us for His glory.”
There will be many fantastic songs: “Jumpin’ Jack”, “In the Mood”, “Respect” and many more tantalizing pieces. Two of the jazz songs will feature vocalist Sophonise Nielson.
When asked about their favorite song of the concert, Dr. Holt shared, “A variety of songs–Big Band music, including ‘Sing, Sing, Sing;’ ‘Brass Machine’ features the brass… particularly the trumpet section. We also will have the jazz combo playing on this concert.”
The Just Jazz combo, founded by senior music education major Michael Hornback, will play in between two Big Band sets and will highlight four songs: “Lester Leaps In,” “Over the Rainbow,” “St. Thomas” and “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.”
Judy Garland’s performance of “Over The Rainbow” in “The Wizard of Oz” made Harold Arlen’s song famous. They nearly cut this song from the film and MGM executives wanted to remove this song because they felt the song slowed down the pace of the film. Someone did not solidify it until Arthur Freed stepped in and firmly expressed, “The song stays—or I go.” Who knows where the Greatest Song of the 20th Century would have gone if they did not feature it in the film?
While this song will not feature a vocalist, the Big Band will take this magnificent song and metamorphose it into a beautiful melody.
Hornback will conduct some of the songs at the concert. He has conducted many songs throughout this academic year, and with him nearing the teaching field, this will not be his last conducting experience.
Audiences may not recognize the origins of the song “Samba Ti Kaye,” by Mark Taylor. This homorhythmic piece features a trumpet played throughout as melodious and smooth tune as they build up to a triumphant finish. Tyler has associations with the Stan Kenton Orchestra and has a deep-rooted connection with The Army Band in Washington D.C. This piece comes from Tyler’s album “To the Edge” released in 2015.
Be sure not to miss an evening of exemplary music performed by NW’s esteemed Jazz Band. If you want to expose yourself to jazz for the first time, this is the concert to do it. The NW music department encourages anyone and everyone to come to the jazz concert at 7:30 p.m. 
